Manam Will Be A Befitting Send-Off To My Father ANR: Nagarjuna

Actor Nagarjuna has made his first public statement after the death of his father legendary Telugu actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), who died of intestine cancer on January 22. The King star says that he wants to make Manam to be a fitting farewell to his late father Telugu movie icon, who was more than just a father to him. The movie, which is still in the production stage, happens to be the last outing of ANR.

A week after the death of Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Nagarjuna took to his official Facebook page to talk about his father's last film. He wrote, "I want his last film Manam to be a befitting send-off to a man who was much more than just a father to me. He was on the sets of the film when he collapsed (last year). When they opened him up he was in the fifth stage of cancer. Until then he was in the pink of health."

Akkineni Nageswara Rao had completed the shooting of Manam, except a song. Talking about its filming, Nagarjuna commented, "The film spans a period from 1920 to 2013. My father plays a 90-year old. Except that incomplete song he completed all the shooting."

Nagarjuna further posted, "Fifteen days after surgery he was at home in bed when he said, 'Bring all the dubbing equipment and do my dubbing for 'Manam' before I get worse, or you will get a mimicry artiste to do my dubbing. He made sure we he completed the film. It's now being released on March 31st."

Directed by Vikram Kumar, Manam also features Nagarjuna and his son Akkineni Naga Chaitanya. It's for the first time actors from three generations of Akkineni clan worked together.